Panasonic and Samsung: the best smart home tech of CES 2017

Samsung and Panasonic both showcased some of the most innovative smart home tech we have ever seen. Here’s our top highlights straight from the convention show floor…

Smart technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in our lives. As more and more of us move into a lifestyle where everything is connected, everything from lighting to kitchen appliances is becoming smart. We checked out what Samsung and Panasonic are bringing to the homes of the future at CES 2017.

Panasonic’s home for “better living tomorrow”

Panasonic showcased the most futuristic smart home setup that we have seen so far at CES. The stall was dressed as Panasonic’s vision of the kitchen of the future, fully equipped with connected ovens, wine coolers and a countertop induction hob – all prototypes of course for now. The products all communicate with each other to help “Enrich the lifestyle we have in our homes”, according to one Panasonic product specialist. Check out the full video of the smart kitchen below:

The wine cooler that orders your shopping

The kitchen featured a wine cooler that was designed with zones to keep different drinks at their most suitable temperature. With a simple tap on the glass screen, you could also see recipes on what to make for dinner based on the items you have in your fridge. What’s more, if you’re running low on milk, for example, the cooler alerts you and allows you to order your shopping there and then.

Cook with the help of a transparent TV

Once you’ve chosen your dish from the cooler, A TV discreetly hidden in a single sheet of glass appears and gives you video instructions on how to prepare and cook your meal – perfect if you need an easy to follow guide on unfamiliar dishes.

Cook steak on your dining table

Now you have your recipe, you’ll need to get cooking. Although seemingly ordinary at first, the kitchen island in the centre of the room is actually an induction hob. Simply place your pot on the counter and the wine cooler tells the hob exactly what temperature the food needs to be cooked at to achieve perfection. You can cook from your dining table, too. When your food is on the table, a glass cloche is placed over the top and the table begins to cook the food on the plate right before your eyes.

Samsung showcases talking fridges

Samsung are well known for their smart home technology. This year at CES, Samsung announced an upgrade to their Family Hub fridge. The Family Hub 2.0 has now been equipped with voice activation, so you can ask for an update on your calendar, to do list, or even ask the fridge to read out a recipe as you’re cooking – no more scrabbling around for the cookbook.

Magnetic cooking hobs and smart ovens

In the Samsung kitchen, smart tech was everywhere. Although not as futuristic as the Panasonic kitchen tech, the Samsung stall felt like a much more realistic vision of how we will soon be cooking in the kitchen. A clever 3 in 1 oven allowed you to separate your oven chamber through a Flex Duo divider that looks much like a standard baking tray. Once inserted, the oven can cook at different temperatures in each compartment, giving you maximum versatility as you cook. You can monitor all of your appliances and cooking times from the Samsung Smart home app.

The induction hob looked very much like a standard kitchen hob we would see in our homes today. The wow factor with this appliance came with its magnetic hob switches. Instead of traditional hobs that have static switches to adjust the heat and turn each hob on and off, the Samsung hob used a single switch that you could magnetically attach to adjust the temperature.

With all these advancements in smart home technology, it’s clear that connected living is here to stay.